Knock-down furniture construction



July 13, 1965 R. E. B-AILEY 3,194,189

KNOCK-DOWN FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 11, 1962 FIG. I.

HHIIIIII IHHH' IIHIII" INVENTOR ROBERT E. BAILEY AT TORN E YS.

United States Patent Cfiice 3,194,189 Patented July 13, 1965 3,194,189 r KNOCK-DOWN FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION Robert E. Bailey, 343 N. Prospect St., Washington, NJ. Filed Dec. 11, 1962, Ser. No. 243,852 6 Claims. (Cl. 108-158) ing of pedestal type furniture in a knock-down condition for subsequent assembly by the ultimate consumer;

i A feature of this invention resides in the provision that substantial savings are passed on to the ultimate consumer since final assembly of the furniture piece by the manufacturer is eliminated.

Another feature resides in the provision that the knockdown furniture construction of this invention requires little shipping or storage space, and a relatively simple packing carton; thereby resulting in further substantially reduced shipping and warehouse cost.

Still another feature resides in the provision that the knock-down pedestal of this invention results in a stronger and more durable construction than that of the heretofore known conventional factory assembled furniture of like styling.

Other features and advantages will become more readily apparent when considered in view of the drawings and description thereof in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a knocl -down pedestal type piece of furniture embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a,pla'n view of a clamping plate utilized in the instant invention.

'FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention as applied to a pedestal type table 10. However, it will be readily understood that the instant invention may be adapted to any other type of pedestal type furniture, e.g., chairs, desks, and the like.

Referring to the drawing, the instant invention is shown and described as applied to a pedestal type table 10. As shown the table comprises a table top 11 and a readily detachable pedestal type base support 12. The base support 12 includes a pedestal 13 which is provided with a longitudinally extending bore 14, and a plurality of cornueopia type leg members 15 connected thereto.

In accordance with this invention the leg members 15 and the pedestal 13 are arranged so as to be detachably connected to each other and to the table top 11. This is attained by a novel fastening device comprising a pair of clamping plates 16, constructed and arranged so as to clamp therebetween the individual leg members 15.

In the illustrated embodiment, each clamping plate 16 is provided with an inturned flange 16A circumscribing the outer edge of the plate 16. Also each plate 16 is provided with a centrally located aperture 17 and, if desired, with a series of circumferential-ly spaced holes 18.

While plates 16 are illustrated as circular in shape, it will be understood that plates 16 may assume any desired shape depending on the shape and number of leg members required by the design of a particular piece of furniture,

as will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art. If desired flange 16A of the respective plates 16 may be bent at some angle less than the angle shown in the event a tightening and wedging action is required to make the legs more rigid in the assembledposition thereof.

As shown in FIG. 1, each of the leg members 15, adjacent the upper ends thereof are formed with a groove 19 and 20 in the top and bottom surfaces thereof respectively. In accordance with this invention the upper ends of the respective leg members 15, when in the assembled position of the table 10, are disposed between the upper and lower clamping plates 16 so that the flange portions 16A thereof are received in grooves 19, 20.

In the illustrated embodiment, three leg members 15 are shown. Accordingly the leg members 15 are arranged so as to be equidistantly spaced one from the other.

To maintain the respective components of the table 10 together, an elongated rod 21 is inserted up through the aligned apertures 17 of the clamping plates 16 and through the bore 14 of the pedestal 13. With the leg members 15 disposed between clamping plates 16, as described, and the pedestal 13 in position thereon, the upper end 21A of the rod is threaded into a nut (not shown) embedded in a cleat on the undersurface of the table top or furniture piece 11. A nut 22, inturned, is then threaded to the other end 21B of the rod to draw the respective components thereon together.

To provide added strength, a suitable fastener 23, such as a screw or the like, may be extended through one of the openings 18 in the respective clamping plate 16 and into the leg member 15 aligned therewith. n l

Spacer blocks 24 may also beinserted between the clamping plates 16 and between adjacent leg members 15 to maintain the spacing of the leg members 15', and to give the appearance of the leg members 15 being firmly assembled or secured in the conventional manner.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the knock-down furniture can be readily assembled and disassembled with a minimum of ease, and if necessary without the use of tools.

While the instant invention has been disclosed with reference to a particular embodiment, it is to be. appreciated that the invention is not to be taken as limited to all of the details thereof as modifications and variations thereof may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved knock-down pedestal type base structure comprising a pedestal adapted to support a furniture piece, said pedestal having a bore extending longitudinally therein, a plurality of separate rleg members for supporting said pedestal, fastening means for detachably connecting said plurality of leg members to said pedestal, said fastening means including a pair of spaced apart clamping plates for securing therebetween one end of said leg members, an elongated rod extending through said clamping plates and through the bore of said pedestal, and means for drawing together said clamping plates onto said leg members and said pedestal said clamping plates to firmly secure the same together in the assembled position of said base structure, said clamping plates having a laterally bent flange portion about the peripheral edge portion thereof, and each of said leg members clamped therebetween having a groove for receiving said flange portions in the assembled position of said base structure.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said plates is provided with a series of holes, said holes being disposed in alignment with said leg members, and a fastener extended through one of said holes and into a leg member aligned therewith to provide for additional strength.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 including a spacer disposed between adjacent leg members for maintaining the spacing therebetween in the assembled position of said base structure.

4. An improved readily knock-down pedestal sup-port for use in furniture construction comprising a pedestal for supporting a piece of furniture, said pedestal having a bore extending therethrough, a plurality of cornucopia legs for supporting said pedestal, and fastening means for detachably connecting said leg members to said pedestal, said fastening means including a pair of clamping plates, each of said plates having inturned flange portion about the peripheral edge portion thereof and a centrally located aperture therein; said leg members each having a groove formed in the upper and lower surface thereof at one end thereof, and said grooved ends of said leg member-s in the assembled position of said construction being disposed between said plates so that the flange portions thereof are in register with the grooves therein, an elongated r-od extending through said apertures in said clamping plates and through the bore of the pedestal to connect with a piece of furniture, a nut threaded to the other end of said rod to draw said plates together onto said leg members and said pedestal to said leg members for securing said leg member to said pedestal, and spacer means disposed between adjacent leg members for maintaining the spacing therebetween.

5. An improved readily knock-down furniture construe tion comprising a table top, a pedestal for supporting said top, said pedestal having a bore extending therethrough, a plurality of cornucopia legs for supporting said pedestal on a floor, and fastening means for detachably connecting said leg members to said pedestal and said pedestal to said table top, said fastening means including a pair of clamping plates, each of said plates having an inturned flange portion about the peripheral edge portion thereof and a centrally located aperture therein, said leg members each having a groove in the upper and lower surface thereof, and said leg members in the assembled position of said construction being disposed between said plates so that the flange portions thereof are in register with the grooves therein, an elongated rod extending upwardly through said apertures in said olamping plates and through the bore of the pedestal, said pedestal being disposed between the upper clamping plate and said table top, said rod being connected to said table top, a nut threaded to the other end of said rod to draw said plates 4 together onto said leg members and said table top toward said leg members for securing said leg member to said pedestal and said pedestal to said table top, and spacer blocks disposed between adjacent leg members for maintaining the spacing therebetween.

6. An improved readily knock-down furniture construction comprising a table top; a pedestal for supporting said top, said pedestal having a bore extending therethrough, a plurality of cornucopia legs for supporting said pedestal, and fastening means for detachably connecting said leg members to said pedestal and said pedestal to said table top, said fastening means including a pair of clamping plates; each of said plates having inturned flange portion about the peripheral edge portion thereof, a centrally located aperture and a series of holes circumferentially spaced therein, said leg members each having a groove" in the upper and lower surface thereof, said leg members in the assembled position of said construction being equidistan-tly and radially disposed between said plates so that the flanges thereof are in register with the grooves in said leg members whereby said leg members are disposed in alignment with one of said holes in said plates, an elongated rod extending through the centrally located aperture in said clamping plates and through the bore of the pedestal which is disposed between the upper clamping plate and said table top, said rod being connected to said table top, a nut threaded to the other end of said rod to draw said plates together onto said leg members and said table top onto said pedestal toward said leg members for securing said leg members to said pedestal and said pedestal to said table top, spacer blocks disposed between leg members for maintaining the spacing therebetween, and a fastener extended through one of said holes of said clamps and into a leg member aligned therewith to attain added strength.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 140,895 7/73' Dawson 248194 775,006 11/04 Groll 108150 1,013,813 1/12 Pettibone 248 194 1,385,348 7/21 Hansen 248-194 1,545,894 7/25 Hall 108-150 1,624,770 4/27 Stuart 108150 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN IMPROVED KNOCK-DOWN PEDESTAL TYPE BASE STRUCTURE COMPRISING A PEDESTAL ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A FURNITURE PIECE, SAID PEDESTAL HAVING A BORE EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THEREIN, A PLURALITY OF SEPARATE LEG MEMBERS FOR SUPPORTING SAID PEDESTAL, FASTENING MEANS FOR DETACHABLY CONNECTING SAID PLURALITY OF LEG MEMBERS TO SAID PEDESTAL, SAID FASTENING MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED APART CLAMPING PLATES FOR SECURING THEREBETWEEN ONE END OF SAID LEG MEMBERS, AN ELONGATED ROD EXTENDING THROUGH SAID CLAMPING PLATES AND THROUGH THE BORE OF SAID PEDESTAL, AND MEANS 